Tender coal-gate.



M. A. SMITH & T. J. THORNTON.

TENDER GOAL GATE. APPLICATION FILED 11.13, 1912.

Patehted Dec.24,1912.

TTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILO A. SMITH AND THOMAS J'. THORNTON, OF ALBION, PENNSYLVANIA.

TENDER COAL-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24,1912.

Application filed April 13, 1912. Serial No. 690,580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MILO A. SMITH and THOMAS J. THORNTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Albion, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have in-- vented certain new and useful Improve ments in Tender Coal-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tender coal gates, and belongs in the class of devices with which the tenders of locomotive engines are provided to retain coal usually piled high in the tender behind them. To successfully withstand the pressure of the coal during the jolting, rocking and turning movements of the tender in rapid motion, such gates must clearly be made very strong, and it is the object of this invention to produce a coal gate having parts of special construction and arrangement whereby it is believed a gate of particularly simple structure, very strong yet easily operated is made up.

The accompanying drawings illustrate this invention.

Figure 1 represents a front view of the upper portion of a tender to which this invention has been applied, and shows the gate closed. Fig. 2 is a like front view, showing one side of the gate raised. Fig. 3 is an end view of one side of the gate in its closed position, and Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section thereof on line ac-m of Fig. 1.

In all the figures and in the description, the same letter refers to the same part.

The tender A has the floor a upon which the coal is piled. At the sides of the tank portion there are arranged the vertical supporting angle irons B and b, to which are pivot-ally secured the ends of the horizontal bars C of the two portions or halves of the gate shown in Fig. 1. It is preferred to make those bars of angle irons and to arrange them near together to prevent the coal from falling out between them. In Figs. 3 and 4: it is illustrated that the topmost bars D are of the usual right angle cross-section. The bars C, however, have the off-set flange 0 affording a small space that permits a lower bar O to move over the edge of a bar immediately above it, when the gate portions are raised as shown in Fig. 2. To effect the overlapping of the edges of the bars when raised, it will be noted in the drawings that the pivotal points of the bars are near their lower edges. The meeting ends of the bars 0 and I) are pivot ally attached to the vertical middle posts E and 0, also best shown in Fig. 1. The mid dlc posts have the eyes F and f at the top, and chains Gr and g are attached to those eyes and will be again mentioned.

The thrust of the coal pile is substantially in the direction downward and toward the gate, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4. The downward effect is to a certain extent exerted upon the flanges 0 of bars C and serves to keep the gate closed. The outward component is exerted directly against the gate portions, and in practice it is advantageous to provide the pivotal latch bars H and h to hold them against such pressure.

This invention may be operated by hand. Thus by drawing upon chain G, which has its ends attached to eyes F and J as shown in Fig. 1, the corresponding side of the gate may be raised, and held in its raised attitude by slipping one of the links of chain G over the hook or pin 7' with which the eye J is provided. Or, mechanical means may be provided for raising the portions of the gate. For example, the chain 9 may be connected with theeye c and led to the winding shaft is, that is turned by the hand-wheel K, and is supplied with the ratchet wheel L and pawl M. The hand-wheel K being revolved, the chain is wound up on the shaft k, and is prevented from unwinding by the engagement of the pawl and ratchet. Upon releasing the pawl and ratchet, the gate bars may be lowered again.

Having now described this invention, and explained the mode of its operation, what we claim is 1. In a tender coal gate, the combination with vertical supporting members secured at the sides of the tank, of horizontal bars pivotally attached to said supporting members and arranged near together to prevent coal passing between them, vertical middle posts pivotally attached to said horizontal bars, latches constructed to extend across said middle posts when said posts. on the outside are together whereby the outward pressure of the coal is resisted, and hoisting means connected to the middle posts and constructed to raise said posts upwardly and from each other.

2. In a tender coal gate, the combination with vertical supporting members secured at the sides of the tank, of horizontal bars pivotally attached to said supporting members, vertical middle posts pivotally attached to said horizontal bars, latches conconstructed to raise said posts upwardly and 10 structed to extend across said middle posts from each other.

When said posts on the outside are together In testimony whereof We afiiX our signa- Whereby the outward pressure of the coal is t-ures in presence of tWo Witnesses.

resisted, the said bars having pivotal point-s MILO A. SMITH.

near their lower edges and being constructed THOMAS J. THORNTON. and arranged to overlap each other When Witnesses:

said middle bars are raised, and hoisting LUCY FELLOWS,

means connected to the middle posts and R. J. GRIsWOLD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

